i fell under your spell

Characters: Juvia Lockser, Sherry Blendy; mentions of Gray Fullbuster

Summary: "You deserve better, you know that, right?"

Prompt&Dedication: Wrecking Ball [Miley Cyrus] «—» Ray

Juvia Lockser was not fond of drinking just to get drunk. She did not say no to whatever cocktail Mirajane would prepare for her at the guild — usually a gin and tonic because this was Juvia's favourite drink — but usually, she was no one to go and seek out a bar when she could avoid it.

After agreeing to go out with the other girls of the guild including Bisca who had first protested but after Evergreen had glared, she had given in. Juvia had never quite understood that friendship and usually assumed that it was because neither Evergreen nor Bisca were all that close to other women in the guild and were on teams with only men.

(And perhaps because Bisca was married and because Evergreen was as good as married which was more than anyone else could claim.)

Still, going to the bar was one thing. Going to the bar and meeting Miss Fiore herself, Jenny Realight, who was glaring daggers at Sherry Blendy who sat on the other side of the table, ignoring the blonde's glare and merely sipping her drink.

Three hours later, the situation was different.

Jenny and Mirajane had a fierce drinking competition in which Cana — relatively sober for once with the claim she was having a date later on — kept score on. Lucy was chatting with Erza and Levy, Bisca and Evergreen had grabbed Laki and Kinana and had ran for it the moment Mirajane's attention had no longer been on them.

All of this left Juvia in an uncomfortable position. To her right was Lisanna busy calming Mirajane which was a lost battle with Cana egging the white-haired woman on and on and on and to her left sat Sherry who was quietly nursing her drink.

»I saw you in the Grand Magic Games,« Sherry said as the silence became unbearable for Juvia and raised her gaze. »You were good.«

»Ah, thank you, Sherry-san. Juvia is very flattered,« replied the water mage as she nervously toyed around with her sleeve. »Chelia-san was a formidable opponent.«

»But one you could've defeated if you had made better use of your elemental advantage.« The puppeteer smirked as she downed the rest of her drink. »I am not mad … she was, however. She doesn't like being treated like a child. Waiter!«

Juvia had had to admit that the other woman was right, however, but she was not sure if it would be wise of her to say so. The situation was tensed enough already with Jenny being furious with Sherry for some reason the entire time and the last thing Juvia wanted was to get between the lines.

The water mage had not heard what Jenny had muttered but Sherry obviously had because her grip on the glass tightened to the point that she shattered the glass in her hand, causing blood to drop.

»Sherry-san!« Juvia rose to her feet and leaned over to get a better look at the injury.»You need to get this patched up, as soon as possible.«

The doll mage's slightly intoxicated state made it easy for the Fairy Tail mage to grab her upper arm and to drag her to the restroom where she swiftly took care of the injury.

»You know, Juvia-san,« Sherry remarked after being silent for a moment, »I can really see you as an amazing mother one day, really. It's no insult … just a feeling … only…«

And Juvia knew what Sherry wanted to say only that she was too polite for this. Juvia heard what they all said, everywhere, not just in her own guild. She knew that the general opinion was that she cared too much and Gray too little, that their emotional involvement in their relationship was too different.

And the worst thing was that they were likely right.

She was not blind enough not to see it and she had too much self-respect to delude herself. She knew that he did not care as much as she did because, truth be told, she had invested a large part of whatever developement she tried to get him to open up, for him to let down his walls and to let her in.

»You deserve better, you know?« Sherry asked as she looked at the blue-haired woman. »Better than an ice cube with two legs.«

»And Sherry-san can be so sure because…?«

»I was there, once, sweetheart,« the older woman shrugged. »Just the thing was something else … we had trouble being in love with each other at the same time, you see? So that was not all that easy but … true love always wins.«

»Ren-san and you?«

Sherry shook her head and a sigh escaped her lips. »No, not Ren. There is a key to those ice mages, you see? Take a step back, admire them from afar for a while … they aren't perfect but they are, beneath it all, perfectly human. Conquer their human side. That's the way … unless you want to end up as a broken little doll … or as ashes in the wind.«

Juvia was silent for a while. »You seemed more drunk some minutes ago.«

»I acted … or Realight's glare would have left a hole in my forehead.«